Route-indicator mechanism.



Q Z M E. A. JONES.

ROUTE INDICATOR MECHANISM.-

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29, 1913.

1,092,147 Pdtnted Apr. 7, 19m

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR M EAJanas.

E. A. JONES.

ROUTE INDICATOR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1913 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

FIG. 3'. Z

zit 154w WITNESS E8 INVENTOR EAJones Attorney Patented Apr. 7, 1914. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST ALBERT JONES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROUTE-INDICATOR MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. '7, 1914;.

Application filed July 29, 1913. Serial No. 781,806.

This invention relates to route indicators and the like for publicservice vehicles and particularly to those capable of being steered todirect their course, such for instance as motor cmnibuses, and it hasfor its object to compensate automatically for the increased distancetraveled by such vehicles owing to the impossibility of steering them insuch a manner that they travel in a direct course on their route. Iattain this end by introducing in the transmission gear employed todrive the mechanism of the indicator or the like a compensating devicewhich consists of a variable gearing of the gradual progressive type,the shifting mechanism of which is coupled to the steering medium ormechanism of the vehicle in such a manner that when the vehicle isrunning other than in its direct course the variable gearing is operatedto reduce the speed of the indicator in relation to the speed of thevehicle.

In the accompanying drawing which shows this invention adapted for useon road vehiclesz-Figures 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views in elevationand plan respectively showing the general construction and arrangementof the mechanism, Fig. .3 is a view in sectional elevation-on anenlarged scale-of the compensating gear, Fig. 4 is a broken view inplanthereof, and Fig. 5 is a view in plan showing means whereby theapparatus can be calibrated. 7

Throughout the views siinilar parts are marked with like letters ofreference.

Referring to Figs. 3and 4: of the accompanying drawing,-the variablegearing comprises a friction disk f fixed on a shaft f which is mountedin suitable bearings f carried by the case f said case being mounted onany-suitable part of the chassis or frame of the vehicle injuxtaposition to the steering wheel from which the motion is to beobtained, said shaft f being coupled to the driving gear of theindicator w by a flexible shaft 0:. Mounted at right angles to the shaftf is another shaft t which carries a friction disk 1. adapted to contactthe friction disk f. The shaft t is mounted in' a bearing 15? carried bya plate t which is so mounted in relation to the case f as to be capableof being moved radially in respect to the axis of the disk f for thepurpose of varying the speed ratio between the said two disks. The twofriction disks are kept in contact by any suitable arrangement ofsprings; aconvement one is that shown in Fig. 3 which consists of aplate spring h operating between the back of the disk 1 and the bearingf.' The shaft t is driven by a shaft t through bevel pinions t and t andsaid shaft t is coupled to one of the road wheels by aflexible shaft mand spur gearing such as o '0 v On the ivot y of one of the steeringwheels 8 o the vehicle is fixed a bracket 2 which carries an arm 2 whichis coupled to an extension t" of the sliding plate t by means of a link9, the construction and arrangement being such that angular movement ofthe arm 2 on either side of its central position draws the plate tcarrying the friction disk t farther away from the center of the disk fso that movement of the steering wheel 8 on either side of its centralposition for the straight running of the vehicle operates to reduce thespeed of the route indicator mechanism in relation to the speed of thevehicle and thereby prevent the route indicator from over'running thevehicle. Y

To enable the apparatus to be calibrated, the link 9 is made adjustablein length whereby the normal distance of the friction disk t from thecenter of the friction disk f can be varied as desired. The link 9 ismade in two parts arranged to telescope one within the\ other, the outerpart being provided with a suit-able clamping device such as the splitcollar q. The two relative adjustable parts of the link 9 may beprovided with a suitablescale and pointer respectively.

It will be understood that this invention although particularly adaptedfor self or mechanically propelled road vehicles is also applicable toall other forms of public service vehicles and the like capable of beingsteered and not adapted to run in or on fixed tracks.

I wish it to be understood that I' do not I limit the application ofthis invention to route indicators as it may be applied to all otherforms of indicators employed in connection with public service Vehicles,such for instance as those employed to denote the distance traveled bythe vehicle. I further do not limit myself to the precise details ofconstruction herein specified, but hold myself at liberty to make suchchanges and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of myinvention.

WVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. A compensating device for the driving mechanism of routeindicators and the like employed on vehicles capable of being steered todirect their course, comprising a variable speed gearing of thegradually progressive type, and means for operating said gearing fromthe steering medium or mechanism so as automatically to reduce the speedof the indicator in relation to the speed of the vehicle when thevehicle de viates from its direct course.

2. The combination with a vehicle capable of being steered and a routeindicator or the like carried by said vehicle, of mechanism forimparting positive motion to said indicator frommechanism of thevehicle,

of a variable speed gearing of the gradually 31 progressive typeinterposed in said motion imparting mechanism, and of means forautomatically changing the speed'ratio of said gearing as and when thesteering medium or mechanism of the vehicle is manipulated to cause thevehicle to deviate from its straight or direct course.

3. The combination with a vehicle capable of being steered and a routeindicator or the like carried by said vehicle, of mechanism forimparting motion to said indicator from mechanism of the vehicle, of avariable speed gearing of the gradually progressive type interposed insaid motion imparting mechanism, of .means for automatically changingthe speed ratio of said gearin g as and when the steering medium ormechanism of the, vehicle is manipulated to cause the vehicle to deviatefrom its straight or direct course, and of means for calibrating theapparatus.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ERNEST ALBERT JONES. Witnesses:

J. H. HANEs, E. G. GoRnoN.

